Switch-operating mechanism



Sept. 22, 1925.

1,554,718. w. DRYER SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 15 1920 I nvehtof- William PDr er' 2 Sheets-Sheei l Sept. 22, 1925.

1,554,718 W. P. DRYER swncx OPERATING MBCHANII Filed Dec. 15, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 N Inventor":

VYilliavnPDr eJP, =5 M His Attorney.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

" UNITED STATES rear eur:zorpice.

WILLIAM POOLE DRYER, or scnnnnc'ranr, new YORK, ,As'sIeNoa .10: GENERAL Erato 'rnxc COMPANY, A coaroaa'rron or NEWYQRK.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application and December 15, 1920. serial No, 430,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM .P-OOLE DRYER, a subject of the King of Great Britain residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Mechanism of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch operating mechanism and more particularly to mechanism for operating oil. switches. I find with switches of this type that a greatly improved operation results when they are closed very rapidly and when the speedof the parts is maintained throughout their entire closing movement. To this end I provide a motor mechanism through which considerable power is appliedto the switch elements and which shall continue to force the electrodes together until the closing is complete. The power of the operating motor,

isthen cut off and in order to prevent the switch from being subjected to a severe shock by a sudden stoppage of the mecha-- nism interpose between th1s source of power and the switch a cushioning means which will serve to absorb the momentum of the motor and transmission. so arrange the cusl'iioning means that upon stoppage of the operating motor this means in returning the potential energy stored therein shall returnthe motor and mechanism to the same relative position that they occupied prior-to the closing of the switch;

In this manner I am enabled to employ operating means which has but a limited movement. V

Other objects and advantages of my in vention will appear as the description proceeds. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a switch operating lneans'embodymg my invention,

certain of the parts being broken away, and F1gs.2 and 8 aredetailed views showing parts of the mechanism in difierent positions of their movement.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the link 10 is adapted to be connected withthe switch 9 (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3) which it is desired to operate and serves to close and hold the same in a closed posi tion. This switch, which I will call the main switch, is of the usual high potential I further mounted inthecasing 16.'- Apinion 17 secured to the gear 15 serves as a driving means to the sector 18. Sector 18 is loosely mounted on the shaft 12 but may turn the same in a direction to close the main switch by means ofa spring 21, toggle links 22 and 23 and crank 24, which lastis secured to the shaft 12. One end of spring 21. is adapted to be engaged by pin 25 mounted on the sector 18 and the other end is adapted to bear at 26 against the end of the toggle link 22. Link 22 is connected at one end to the toggle arm 28 which is loosely mounted on shaft12 and its other end is connected to link 23 which latter is pivotally mounted on the crank 241. Crank 24: is

provided with offset ears 29 which are connected by springs 30 to the end 31 of toggle arm 28. Link 23. extends somewhat beyond its pivotal point to form a catch 32 adapted to be engaged by a tripping pawl 33 mounted on one end of shaft 34, which later extends through the link 22' and is provided at its opposite end with a tripping member 35. Pawl 33 is normally held in engagementwith acatch 32 by means "of a spring 36. A stop 37 serves to limit the movement of toggle arm 28 in one direction while a catch 88is adapted'tdcooperate with anextension 39 formed on; the toggle arm to prevent motion of the arm in the opposite direct-ion." Z a Catch 38 has an extended portion 42 adapted to .be engaged by a pin 43 formed as'an extension of the pivotal support of the link 23, and thus moved to a position to release the toggle arm 28. Catch 38 is normally retained in its engaging position by a spring 4 1 secured at 45 to an extension 46 of the catch; 38 and at the other end to a pin 47 ,Imounted in the upright48; Likewise mounted in' the upright 48 is an auxiliary switch '51. This switch when be provided for actually establishing acircuit through the motor 13. When, for ex ample, the mechanism herein described is used to start a converter in an automatic railway substation, such means may take the form of a circuit closer operated'in re- 5 sponse to the position of a train on the track.

As this device, however, is no part of the present invention, it will netbe further described.

Shaft 53 of the auxiliaryswitchis extended at 54 and has secured thereto an arm 55.

The spring 56 surrounding this extension is secured atone end to the arm 55 and at the other to the upright 48. This spring tends to rotate the switch shaft in a clockwise direction to move the switch towards circuit closing position. As shown in Fig. 1, arm

55 is prevented from rotating by engagement of'a pin 58 with the end of a slot 60 formed in the link '61. Thelink 61 is secured to an arm 62 formed integral. with the catch 38. Arm 55 islikewise prevented 'fromturning in a clockwise directionby engagement of a pin 64 mounted on the arm 55 withthe end of a lever 65. Lever 65 is pivoted to the upright 48 and is normally urged into contact with the pin 17 by a spring67 (see Fig. The opposite end of lever 65 is adapted to be engaged by a pin 68 integral with the extensiolr39 so as to removethe end of the lever 65 from the pin 64i=whenever the catch 38 releases the extension'39 and allows the extension and toggle arm 28 to fall.

Sector 18 is adapted to be retained in its lowermostposition by engagement of a projection 70mountedon the sector with a pawl 71. This'pawl is secured-to a shaft 72 journaled in the upright 73. The pawl 71 is normally held in engaging position by a spring 75 and is adapted to be tripped by engagement of the arm '62 with a pin 76 on a crank armsecured tothesha ft 72.

Considering the operation of the device, Fig. -1 shows=theseveral partsin a position assumed when the main switch is closed, and the-motor is idle, its circuit being broken at "the :au xiliaryswitch 51. To open the main switch thearm 80 shown as hearing on the "tripping' member 35 is depressed toturn the same against the pressure of the spring This disengages pawl 38 from catch The main switch by its weight or=the pressure of the-spring located therein is forced open and i-nso doing turns the shaftl2 and crank 24 about their axis. This is permitted because "the toggle links 22 and 23'cannow collapse, due to the release of the catch 32. Toggle arm28'does 'not :atfirst move because it is still retained by the catch'38. lVhen, how- 0 ever, pin 43 engages the extension 42, the

catch is movedto a positionshown in Fig. 2, the projection 39 is released and" the toggle *arm 28"falls. In -soifalling the toggle links 22 eiand 231are straightened out, 'dueto the .engages catch 32 to hold them in their straightened position, thus in effect making the toggle arm 28 which now rests at; 26 against theend of the spring 21, rigid with the shaft12.

As the catch 38 is pressed against the ac tion of the spring 44 by the pin 43 the arm 62 moves link 61 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Arm 55, however, does not rotate to move the auxiliary switch 51 until the pin 68 which is mounted on a projection 39 engages the arm to move thesame out of engagement with the pin 64:. Vhen thisoccurs, the spring 56' operates switch 51 and theparts assume the position shown in Fig. 8. Arm'65 in its movement has engaged pin 76 and released pawl 71 from the projection on the sector 18.

In the above described operation it is necessary that the toggle links 22 and 23 as sume their straightened position before the auxiliary switch 51 is closed. If this were not the case and the. circuitof the motor was completed to close the main switch immediately after it hadopened, the motor would start before the toggle mechanism was-in a position to enable motion to be transmitted from the spring 21 to the shaft 12 with the result that the toggle would collapse under the action of the motor and the motor circuit would be broken. Springs 30 would then again straighten out the toggle and this 18 by means of itsconnection with the tog- .gle links 22, 23, through its spring 21 raises the toggle arm 28 and this in turn through the connecting links 22, 23 and crank 24 rotates the shaft 12 and closes the main switch. This closingoperation takes place with great rapidity, the switch electrodes be ing forcibly driven into contact making position. hen the'toggle arm 28 has reached the upper limit of its travel, projection 3f) will be in such a position as to permit the catch 38 under the influence of the spring i to return to its holding position and in so doing link 61 will rotate the arm .against'the action of spring 56 and open auxiliary switch 51. Due to their momentum, the rotor and transmission gears will continue to move for ashort period after the circuit to the motor has been .opened. Th-is'motion will be takennp by. the spring actionamffitlre springstQ-and-rpawli33i'again 2l =which 'WillwUltlHMLtBlV reverse-the rotation and return the pinion and sector to the position shown in Fig. 1. A dash pot 81 serves to prevent too great a jar to the transmission by its sudden stoppage. Pawl 71 having been released by the movement of arm 62 will reengage the projection 70, thus placing the apparatus in condition for the next tripping operation.

It will be noted that the toggle mecha nism is so positioned that when tripped it will permit the main switch to open even though this occurs while the motor is in the act of driving the switch toward the closed position.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of a switch, means movable to close said switch, said means acting to apply a closing force to said switch throughout the entire closing operation means for rendering said first means inoperative when said switch reaches its closed position, and resilient means through which said force is applied, said resilient means serving after the closing of said switch to absorb the momentum of said first-named means.

2. The combination of a switch, means capable of limited movement, adapted to close said switch and cushioning means through which said first-named means operates said switch, said cushioning means serving to absorb the momentum of said first-named means upon the closure of the switch and to return the lirst-named means to a position ready for reclosure of said switch.

3. The combination of a switch, an elec tric motor for closing said switch, means for deenergizing said motor after the switch is closed, and a deformable cushioning means operating upon the closure of said switch for absorbing the momentum of the motor without further movement of said switch.

4. The combination of a switch biased to open position. a motor for closing said switch, releasable means for holding said switch in closed position and a transmission between said motor and switch, said transmission comprising aspring through which the power of said motor is applied to said switch and means whereby the energy of the momentum of the motor is absorbed by the spring and is subsequently returned to the motor.

5. A. switch operating mechanism comprising a shaft adapted to close a switch, an electric motor and gearing capable of limited movement, a spring interposed between said shaft and gearing and arranged to transmit power from said motor to said shaft to close said switch, means located between said spring and switch for locking said switch closed, and means for opening the circuit of said motor upon the closing of the switch, said spring being arranged that after opening of the motor circuit it will return said gearing to a position assumed prior to the closing of said switch.

6. A switch operating mechanism comprising a shaft adapted to close a switch, an electric motor and gearing capable of limited movement, a spring interposed between said shaft and gearing and arranged to transmit power from said motor to said shaft to close said switch, means located between said spring and switch for locking said switch closed, means for opening the circuit of said motor upon the closing of the switch, said spring being arranged that after opening of the motor circuit it will return said gearing to a position assumed prior to the closing of said switch, and a releasable means for catching and holding the gearing in said position.

7. The combination of a main switch biased to open position, an electric motor and transmission capable of limited movement, a spring interposed between said switch and transmission and arranged to transmit power from said motor to close said switch, a releasable connection between said spring and switch, means between said spring and said connection for holding said switch closed, 'an auxiliary switch in circuit with said motor, means for opening said auxiliary switch upon the closing of the main switch and for closing said auxiliary switch upon the opening of said main switch, said spring being so arranged that after the opening of the motor circuit it will return said transmission to a position assumed prior to the closing of said main switch, and means releasable on the opening of the main switch for catching and holding the transmission in said position.

8. A switch closing mechanism comprising a switch operating member, an electric motor, mechanism operatively connecting said member and said motor, a switch for opening the circuit of said motor when said member reaches a predetermined position, and a resilient member in the connection between said mcmbcr and said mechanism for absorbing the momentum of said mechanism and for returning said mechanism to a position ready for a reclosure of the switch.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of December,

lVILLIAM POOLE DRYER. 

